Eurohorror
Wow, I just recently re-discovered the joys of the Eurohorror scene. I probably have watched hundreds of european horror films, but none really made any impression on me until recently. Some may ask "what is Eurohorror"? The definition I use to define Eurohorror is quite simple, it is those movies that came out of the European community in the late 60's up through early to late 80's. These films exhibit a lot of sex(especially lesbian), a lot of gore, and especially a lot of alternative imagery. It is these ingredients that have attracted me to genre and it pretty much serves as one of the only true new outlet for horror, except for Independent and Asian cinema, that I find interesting today. I believe the internet will serve to educate many horror fans about these outstanding classic, because it did for me and that is basically what I plan to do with this page. Below is a sampling of the Eurohorror that I have enjoyed watching. This is not to say that every Eurohorror movie I watch is an instant classic, but that these films have brought a rejuvenated freshness to my love of horror. Please, I am aware that many of you are more knowledgeable of these movies than I, so please e-mail me with suggestion and info that I might use to educate others, as well as myself. I will continue to add my suggested movies to this list on a regular basis. Thanks!!!!
"Tombs of the
Blind Dead"(1971)
Directed by Armando DeOssorio this is one the creepiest Zombie movies I ever seen. It is not overly gory, but the imagery is outstanding. This movie tells the story of three friends on their way to weekend outing in Lisbon. One of the girls gets pissed off and jumps from the train they are travelling on. Left all alone in the wild frontier of Spain she looks for shelter finding it in an old run down monastery. Unbeknownst to her, this is haunting grounds of the dead Knights of the Templar who have risen from their grave to seek revenge. See these dead knights riding on horses and killing with sword, not your traditional zombie movie. The rest is left to you, but you won't be disappointed by the ending. There were three other "Blind Dead" films made. I presently have two of the three, so stay tuned for my updates. "Tomb" has recently been remastered on laserdisc by the fine folks at Elite. I hear they did an outstanding job adding many scenes that had been missing in previous version. Also, a video release is just around the corner from Anchor Bay for $14.95. Treat yourself to some fine Eurohorror and see what you've been missing.
"Demons"(1985)
Directed by Lamberto Bava and produced by Dario Agento. This is an instant classic from the first time you slip into the VCR. This along with Fulci "Zombie" and "The Gates of Hell" were probably my first exposure to Italian horror. The gore and makeup effects are outstanding .The movie begins in Berlin with people given tickets to attend a movie premiere, but this isn't any ordinary event. A movie prop on display in the lobby serves as the vessel that inflicts people and turns them in demons. The movie they are watching starts to become real as more of the audience become possessed and begin infecting others. Is there a way out? Will any one survive? I won't tell, rent the movie.
"The Gates of Hell"(1980)(AKA
"City of the Living Dead")
This movie is made by one of my all-time favorite directors, the late great Lucio Fulci. This is one of few movies that can be driven by gore(another is Fulci classic "Zombie" mentioned below). The gore is used so well and to the utmost effect as to drive the storyline home. When a priest has hung himself in a graveyard, he opens up the seven doorways to hell. A reporter(Christopher George) has three days to close these portal before All Saint Day or "the dead shall rise and walk the earth". Watch out for the famous drill scene. Only strong stomachs need apply. "The Beyond"(AKA "7 Doors of Death" in the US) is considered a sequel to The Gates of Hell".
"Cannibal Holocaust"(1980)
Directed by Ruggero Deodato. I never been into cannibal movies if you discount the "Texas Chainsaw Massarce. I was pleasantly surprised by this fim. It was pretty well made and wasn't overly gory. This is not to say it wasn't gory at all, no it had a lot of gore, but I was expecting a lot worse. The storyline focuses on a documentary team that is heading into the Amazon in search of a lost tribe of cannibals. The team isn't heard from for weeks, so another anthropologist heads out in search of them. He later finds that the crew had been killed by the cannibals, but is able to recover their stock of film. He goes back to the states to do a documentary on the team and is shock at what he sees. Some people have asked if this is indeed a snuff film, because the scenes are so realistic. Well, it isn't. The only really disturbing parts of the film are the repeated acts of violence done to animals. If you watch this film, and I suggest you should, please be prepared. Otherwise, enjoy and please pass the yummy meat pies.
The
Beyond"(1981)(aka Seven Doors of Death)
I consider this movie a sequel to the "Gates of Hell", although others might not. Not a sequel in the sense that the story is continued from the first, but rather the link in plot points of the "Seven Doorways to Hell". The movie begins when a mob take a renegade painter from his hotel room and brutally crucified him in the basement right over one of the seven doorways. Fast forward to present day, a young woman(Catrinona MacColl) inherits the hotel and begins renovating hoping to reopen for business. While a plumber is working on piping in the basement, he inadvertently opens the doorway to hell and the fun begins. Fulci stated, "it is a plotless film, there's is no logic to it, just a succession of images." Boy, what imagery. We see flesh-eating spiders, a signing eye-dog attack his owner, and of course plenty the walking dead. The movies ending is very surreal and well done. Don't rent the American version, "The Seven Doors to Death", search out the import version to see the true magic of this movie. Available from Blackest Heart Media. Also, the soundtrack to this film is tremendous, also available from Blackest Heart Media. Get information on upcoming Grindhouse Releasing new laserdisc
[Go to Eurrohorror 2 Page]
[Go to Hammer Films Page]
Click on the logo below for the best place to purchase these Horror classics
Suggested reading on the Eurohorror scene:
"Lucio Fulci: Beyond the Gates" by Chas. Balun. (Available from Blackest Heart Media)
"Immortal Tales: European Sex and Horror Movies 1956-1984" by Tohill and Tombs
"Spaghetti Nightmares" by Palmerini and Mistretta
"Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Agento" by McDonagh
Click on the highlighted books to go to Amazon.com to purchase
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07/30/97 10:43 PM
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